Apple is planning a ‘bold redesign’ of the iPhone Pro and a foldable iPhone model to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the range, according to a report this weekend.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple is planning to commemorate the occasion with a major shake-up of the iconic smartphone range coming in 2027 and a prospective iPhone 19 Pro.
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In his weekly Power On newsletter (via MacRumors), Gurman said Apple is planning prominent use of glass to fashion a unique look for the handset, moving away from the pervading design on the current best iPhone models on the market.
He writes: “…the company is preparing a major shake-up for the iPhone’s 20-year anniversary, including a foldable version and a bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.”
The ‘single slab of glass’ iPhone was thought to be a long-held goal of former Apple design head Jony Ive, effectively making it a seamless bezel-free design. Late last year Apple was rumoured to be planning a bezel-free iPhone for the iPhone 18 model in 2026. However, there were still technical challenges to overcome.
Apple would need to maintain the devices waterproofing capabilities, protecting the functionality of the antenna and ensuring the device didn’t lose durability because of a lack of buffer the frame has provided around the phone’s edges.
Perhaps 2027 is when Apple will have its ducks in a row. As for the report of an iPhone Fold? Gurman had previously predicted a 2026 launch for the first iPhone Fold. It’s not clear whether this weekend’s report speaks of a second generation model or a delay to getting the first foldable into the wild.
So, until then?
If this when we’re getting the next iPhone design upgrade? Gurman has predicted the iPhone 17 Pro “won’t feature a particularly bold” redesign, and other reporting suggesting the target of a bezel-free iPhone won’t be ready for the iPhone 18 range, it looks like the iPhone 19 might be the one to hang the hat on.
At least there’ll be the iPhone 17 Air this year, right?
